The first opening road bridge across the River Clyde is a step closer to completion as the final section of the Renfrew Bridge has arrived in Renfrewshire.
The north section of the 184-metre cable-stayed twin-leaf bridge has arrived on the River Clyde and will now be installed into place by civil engineers GRAHAM at Dock Street in Clydebank.
A key part of the £117million Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside project being led by Renfrewshire Council, the new bridge will connect Renfrew with Clydebank and Yoker directly for the first time and is set to open up work, health, education and leisure opportunities for communities on both sides of the river.
The project will also create additional connecting roads, cycling and walking routes which provide active travel and road links from Yoker Railway Station to Inchinnan Road in Renfrew, and on to the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) – Scotland’s home of manufacturing innovation.
It is key part of Renfrewshire Council’s capital investment programme which also includes the modernisation of Paisley Town Hall into one of Scotland’s top entertainment venues, the creation of the award-winning Learning and Cultural Hub on Paisley High Street, the renewal of Paisley Arts Centre into a unique performance venue, and the transformation of Paisley Museum into a world-class visitor destination.
Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson said: “This project further outlines this council’s ability to deliver nationally significant infrastructure projects successfully and it brings with it the potential for thousands of additional jobs, investment and developments to the riverside.
“The connectivity and opportunities it will create for businesses, workers and communities to locate here is going to bring visible economic benefits to Renfrewshire and the Glasgow City Region.
“It will be yet another boost to AMIDS, as well as Westway, Glasgow Airport and the Inchinnan Business Park, as we seek to attract world-class organisations to choose Renfrewshire as their base – and bring with them highly-skilled jobs for those who live here – and I look forward to the second section of the bridge being installed ahead of its scheduled opening later in the year.”
The bridge will improve access for businesses and suppliers to Scotland’s home of manufacturing innovation AMIDS, which is being developed by the Council in collaboration with the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.
Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic Kate Forbes said: “Through our £500 million investment in the Glasgow City Region Deal, we are unlocking economic opportunities in Renfrewshire.
“Progress continues towards the opening of the bridge, which will create walking, cycling and road connections across the River Clyde. We hope that this will drive growth in the local economy and support over 800 new jobs.”
The project is jointly funded by the UK and Scottish Governments through the £1.13billion Glasgow City Region City Deal, a partnership of eight councils working to deliver a programme of work to grow a strong, inclusive and sustainable City Region and an economy which delivers for all people and businesses.
UK Government Minister for Scotland John Lamont said: “The arrival of the final bridge section shows there’s real momentum behind completing this flagship infrastructure project to regenerate the Clyde, improve connectivity and boost the economy.
“The UK Government is proud to be investing £39million in the Clyde Waterfront and Renfrew Riverside scheme, part of our £523million investment into the Glasgow City Region Deal, and more than £3billion for levelling up across Scotland.”
Civil engineers GRAHAM, who have created more than 950 jobs and hundreds of subcontract and supplier opportunities during the construction phase, will now carry out the installation of the north section of the bridge before beginning the required commissioning works to make the bridge fully operational.
Jim Armour, GRAHAM Contracts Manager, said: “We’re delighted that the second section of the bridge has now arrived and installation can take place on the north side of the river – another fantastic step forward for this important project.
“The bridge is a fantastic example of civil engineering and a project GRAHAM is extremely proud of. We look forward to the installation taking place and commissioning works continuing to allow the bridge to open later in the year.”
The bridge is due to be completed ahead of schedule and be fully operational for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists in Autumn 2024.
For more information on the project, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/citydeal.
Paisley Photographs 